Oscar Arias: Without a Shot Fired

Yes it's true. I'm a sucker for near any documentary or bio pic. I can't seem to help it, they move through my brain constantly and the good ones, even make their way to my heart at times. Something about real life happenings or history make a story so much more entertaining, both the good and bad. It's true that change is slow. The real life experiences we see onscreen can and do have an impact however, allowing "change" to happen a little bit faster. Or, at the very least, help to educate us. A good fiction can entertain, but it's simply not the same as a well put together, real life story. "Without A Shot Fired" is one such film with an added benefit. It also represents hope. While things may not be perfect, and the path is a difficult one, director Dawn Engle shows us that people do exist in the world, that actually care and truly want to make a difference. It's not always about making "the money" for everyone. Some people actually want to make a difference, whatever the cost. That's the core of this story, this film. The belief that change may be slow, but completely possible. And, as much as this film revolves around, and is about Oscar Arias, it's also about all of us. Mr. Arias may have spent his entire life rallying the troops for a good cause... but we are those troops. We are those people. It comes down to simply overcoming greed, ego and our need for power. These traits are within all of us and most times, it takes someone else to point them out. Reveal these traits and urge us to use other elements of who we are. Compassion, generosity and even forgiveness. For me, this was the heart and soul of this film. Watching this great man attempt to do just that. Who is Oscar Arias? As the generations continue, the amount of people who don't know of this man continues to grow. That's a shame. I personally do know of him, but nowhere near the amount I learned after watching this film. I was quite surprised. I highly recommend anyone who wants to see a real man of peace in action, research Mr. Arias. Or, even better, watch this film, which does a great job both entertaining and educating. As for the technical aspects of the movie itself, "Without A Shot Fired" is essentially a clip show. A narrated montage of footage all in one place. The technical elements really don't apply, aside from writing that everything was put together nicely. Aside from the obvious chronological order of the film, this footage was pieced together with a definite eye for pacing and education. I can't imagine the amount of work it took to compile and edit in the footage used. It must have been hellish. The results were well worth it however, as I wrote above, this is an entertaining film. I would have liked to have seen some additions to the footage however, anything to show that this film was more than a compilation video. Essentially, anyone could have made this movie given the motivation and drive. I'm pretty sure that ever single piece of footage can be found online. There was nothing made specifically for the movie, except maybe some of the computer graphics and map animations. With that said, it was done right and with a professional finesse. The results speak for themselves. So what else is there to write? I enjoyed "Without A Shot Fired" and have no doubt anyone who loves historical documentaries will as well. The added benefit is how your mind will continue to roll around the movie after it's done. As far as bio/documentary flicks go, this is a good one. No doubt about that. It also happens to transcend the educational aspects, and simply be entertaining. Nothing wrong with that either.

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